Suction cleaner



Oct. 16, 1 934. B a 1,976,998

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Feb. 5. 1931 Jma B Rafa-abs LNVLN TOK Patented a. 16. 1934 r A I 7, 1,976,998

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1,976,998 SUCTION cream-m James B. Kirby, West Richfield, Ohio, assignor to Industrial Improvements Incorporated, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application February 3, 1931, Serial No. 513,131 11 Claims. (01. 15-8) This invention relates to suction cleaners and free ends 15 project through narrow vertical slots has for its object the provision of an improved 16 formed for the purpose in the rear wall 17 of and simplified device for adjusting the elevation the nozzle. Each of these levers is spaced sufof the inlet mouthabove the working surface. ficiently from the end wall 18 to define with said 5 Among the objects of the invention are the prowall a wheel-chamber 19, and the body of each 0 vision of simple and convenient devices for lever 14 is formed with a notch 20 opening changing the elevation of both the brush and the through its lower edge and slidably receiving supporting wheels simultaneously but at diftherein the carrier-block ;21 whose opposite edges ferent rates; the provision of means for changing are formed with notches or guideways 22 for the ill the elevation simultaneously at the two ends of purpose. Located in each of the chambers 19 is 65 the nozzle; the provision of mechanism socona rubber-tired floor-wheel 24 journaled on the structed that the nature of the operation may horizontal stud 25 with which this block is be simpler and more easily visible than with provided. other devices; the provision of an adjusting sup- Formed on the-exterior of the rear wall 1'7 at ltl port which also permits the ready removal of equal distances from the center line are abutiii wheels and brush; while further objects and adments 26-26 to which are pivoted on horizontal vantages of the invention will become apparent axes two leverarms 27- 27 having their meeting as the description proceeds. ends articulated together by a suitable pivot pin In the drawing accompanying and forming a 28, and having their outer ends articulated to the at part of this application I have shown an illusends 15--15 of the levers 14, as by having projec- 75 trative embodiment of my invention wherein tions 29 of the one entering suitable apertures Fig. l is a side elevation of an electric cleaner 30 formed in the other. Also projecting from the containing my improvements; Fig. 2 is a rear rear wall 17 of the nozzle is a bracket 32 in which elevation of the collecting nozzle detached; Fig. is adjustably threaded a vertical screw 33 havfit 3 is a bottom plan view of the parts shown in ing at its upper end an adjusting knob 34 which 86 Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a. sectional view corresponding to projects into conveniently accessible position relae line M o Figs- 2 and 3; and Fig. 5 iilustive to the top of the nozzle, and having lower rat s the movable e emen w i pp the end resting on one of the levers 27 between the wheels and brush. abutment 26 and lever 15. This lever is always so The cleaner herein selected for illustrative h against t end of t Screw by means of 85 p p s comprises a fan-casing 1 a motora suitablespring 35 which has one end secured us i idly s cu d t th t anto the nozzle and the other to one of said levers. i s provided with a centrifugal fan 3 op rated The portion of the lever 14 intermediate its ends by a suitable electric motor shown) inside is expanded vertically sufficiently to cut off the 35 the housing 2, and the forward Wall Of the corresponding chamber 19 in large part frgm 9t) flimfihamber'being formed, adjacent the face of the rest of the nozzle while still permitting suffithiS a w centl'al p n 4 in which is cient angular movement to enable the degree oi fl ab y ounted the ec 5 i a d tachable vertical adjustment requisite for the requirement collecting-nozzle 6. This nozzle terminates in of different floor coverings.

10 a narrow elongated inlet-mouth 7 which is ar- The degree of adjustment may conveniently be 9 ranged with its plane substantially parallel to indicated by a scale 36 carried by rear wall the axis of the fan 3 and its major dimension of the nozzle and cooperating with a suitable part transverse to the fan axis. In the present em-- of one of the levers, such as one of the projecbocliment this nozzle is detachably secured to tions 29.

4 the casing, being held by bifurcated brackets I have shown a rotary brush carried by the 100 88 straddling across pin 9 at one side of the blocks 21 and driven by the wheels 2% in the manopening 4 in cooperation with a cam-button 10 ner set forth in my Letters Patent No. 1,395,500, engaging a lip 11 at the other side of that openissued November 1, 1921 that is to say: one face ing. This detail is not important to some asof each block is formed with a hollow socket .40

pects of my invention, and when assembled as in which is loosely journaled one end of the brush 105.

a rigid part of the casing. I with a spur pinion 42 which meshes with teeth Secured to internal brackets 12 carried by the formed on the hub 43 of the corresponding wheel. front wall 13 of the nozzle, and adjacent to the With this construction'both wheel and brush can ends thereof are the flat metal levers 14 whose have their elevation adjusted simultaneously, and 119 illustrated in Fig. 1 this nozzle forms essentially body 41, the extremity of said body being provided than the studs 25 on which the wheels are jour- --naled so'that the elevation of the wheels and brush take place according to a differential movement, the vertical movement of the wheels being greater than that of the brush. It will be obvious of course that other means of imparting motion to the brush might be employed within the scope of my present invention.

Carried by' the motor housing at a distance from the wheels 24-24 is a third floor wheel 44 which cooperates therewith to maintain the plane of the inlet mouth '7 approximately parallel to the supporting surface; and in the present embodiment I have also shown the fan casing as provided with additional wheels 45 as set forth in the application of Lloyd W. Pardee filed February 16, 1929, Serial Number 340,479 which have the advantage of distributing the weight of the cleaner and reducing its tendency to sink unduly into thick and soft floor coverings. These of course are not necessary to my present invention although advantageous to the general operation of the cleaner. When'employed they should be so'located that the vertical adjustment of the wheels 24 may move the peripheries of the latter both above and below that plane which is tangent to the wheels 44 and 45.

While I have described in detail this particular cleaner in which my inventive idea is embodied, it will be understood that I do not limit myself to these details except as specifically recited in my several claims which I desire may be construed each according to the limitations expressed therein and independently of limitations contained in other claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to the front wall on a horizontal axis, fio'or wheels and a brush pivoted to said levers inside said nozzle to one side of the pivots of said levers, and means for rotating said brush, adjusting means carried by the exterior of said cleaner casing and operatively engaging the protruding portions of said levers for simultaneously adjusting the position of said wheels and brush upwardly or. downwardly with respect to said nozzle.

2. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to the front wall on a horizontal axis, fioor wheels and a brush pivoted to said levers inside said nozzle to one side of the pivots of said levers, means for retating said brush, means connecting the protruding portions of said levers and causing them to move together, and means for adjusting the position of said connecting means and thereby simultaneously adjusting the position of said wheels and brush upwardly or downwardly with respect to said nozzle.

3. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall bein formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted inside said nozzle on a horizontal axis, floor wheels pivoted to said levers inside said nozzle, lever means articulated to the protruding portions of said first levers, said lever means being pivoted to said exterior of said casing, and means for adjusting and holding said lever means.

4. In a suction cleaner,'a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to one wall of said nozzle on a horizontal axis, floor wheels located inside said nozzle and pivoted one to each lever on axes which are parallel to the axes of said levers, a second lever articulated to the protruding portion of each of said first levers, each of said second levers being pivoted to the ex- .terior of said casing at a distance from the first lever to which it is articulated, and means for moving and holding said second levers and for causing said second levers to move together.

5. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to one wall of said nozzle on a horizontal axis, floor wheels located inside said nozzle and pivoted one to each lever on axes which are parallel to the axes of said levers, a second lever articulated to the protruding portion of each of said first levers, said second levers being pivoted to the exterior of said casing and also having their ends articulated together, and means for moving and holding said second levers.

6; In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed neareach end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted inside said -nozzle on a horizontal axis, floor wheels located inside said nozzle and pivoted one to each lever on an axis which is parallel to and spaced from the axis of said levers, a brush carried in said nozzle by said levers, said brush being located on. the same side of the lever axis as is the axis of said floor wheels, an adjusting screwcarried by the exterior of said nozzle, and means transmitting the movement of said screw equally to the protruding portions of said levers and thereby simultaneously adjusting the position of said brush and wheels upwardly or downwardly with respect to said nozzle.

7. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall bein formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to one wall of said nozzle on a horizontal axis, each of said levers being spaced from an end wall and defining therewith a wheel-chamber, there being a brush chamber between said levers, floor wheels located one in each wheel chamber and pivoted to the adjacent lever, a brush carried by said levers and located in said brush chamber, and

adjusting means carried by the exterior of said lecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and formed inside said nozzle with a parallel sided recess, each lever being pivoted to one wall of said nozzle ona horizontal axis and having one end projecting out through the adjacent slot, a carrying block removably mounted in each recess, a floor wheel pivoted to each block, and adjusting means carried by the exterior of said cleaner casing and operatively engaging the protruding portions of said levers.

9. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, said rear wall being formed near each end with a vertical slot, a lever movable along each slot and pivoted to one wall of said nozzle on a horizontal axis, adjusting means carried by the exterior of said casing and operatively engaging the protruding portions of said levers, supporting blocks removably secured to the portions of said levers inside said nozzle, a brush journaled between said supporting blocks, floor wheels pivoted one to each of said blocks, and operating connections between said wheels and brush.

10. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defininga narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, a rotatable brush in said inlet mouth, floor wheels to the rear of said brush concealed by saidcasing, supp rt means for said wheels and brush'pivoted to said casing eccentrically of the axes of said wheels and brush, means accessible at the side of said casing for effecting the adjustment of the inlet mouth with respect to the working surface whereby said brush and wheels may be simultaneously raised or low-. ered with respect to said nozzle, and means associated with said support means for visually indicating the adjustment of the inlet mouth with respect to the working surface.

11. In a suction cleaner, a casing having a collecting nozzle comprising front and rear walls and end walls defining a narrow elongated downwardly facing inlet mouth, a rotatable brush in said inlet mouth, fioor wheels to the rear of said brush concealed by the said casing, support means for. said wheels and brush pivoted to said casing eccentrically of the axes of said wheels and brush, means accessible at'the side of said casing for effecting the adjustment ofthe inlet mouth with respect to the working surface whereby said brush and wheels may be simultaneously raised or lowered unequal amounts with respect-to said nozzle, and means associated with said supportmeans for visually indicating the adjustment of the inlet mouth with respect to the working surface.

JAMES B. KIRBY. 

